General | 12/14/2023 9:16:31 PM

   Truro, N.S. --- Team USA stayed perfect at the 2023 World Junior A Challenge being held in Truro, N.S., skating past Canada West 5-1 Thursday in upping its record to 3-0-0-0.

Forward James Reeder (Dubuque Fighting Saints) continued to stay hot at the tournament, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament to open the scoring in the game at 14:18 of the first period. Joe Connor (Muskegon Lumberjacks) made it a 2-0 lead when he scored at 15:54 and that's how the score stood at the end of the first 20 minutes of action.

Kaden Shahan (Sioux City Musketeers), who leads the USHL in goals, gave Team USA a 3-0 lead when he scored at 4:56 of the second.  Mac Swanson (Fargo Force) tallied 30 seconds later before Canada West responded with a power play goal by Layne Loomer at 10:09.

Swanson closed out the scoring in the game when he got his second goal of the contest with a power play marker at 8:56 of the third.

Hampton Slukynsky (Fargo Force), who has played all three games for Team USA in the tournament, stopped 22 of 23 shots to record the win.

The American squad, made up of 22 players from the United States Hockey League, got three-point efforts from Swanson (2-1—3) and Connor (1-2—3) in the game.

Team USA concludes the preliminary part of the tournament Friday when it faces Canada East (3-0-0-0) at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Be sure to check out the USA Hockey WJAC page for more information.